Partition roll feed apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is provided for assembling longitudinal and transverse partition strips to produce cell-type fillers for a carton. Longitudinal partition strips are advanced in parallel spaced relationship into position to receive transverse partition strips fed from above by the combined action of a knocker bar and driven feed rolls. The knocker bar is employed to advance the individual transverse partition elements into the nip of a pair of highspeed feed rolls which drive the transverse partition members at a high speed downwardly into assembled relation with the longitudinal partition members.

United States Patent 7488787 3 33303 oo 35333/3 9y99959 9 7 m. mmfi e m m m mm m n m l w n til-a Mmhmmw I lkv a .lo o WMGBLHW 0 4567 0245666 9999999 1111111 lll/l/l 0544222 1 l 1 0592543 792632 9976567 5737235 22333 H a k k m In M M A m 5 W. m 1 0M0 m7 K a 99 W 1 1 m a D 94 n T b f-C m TGOooFA n 0. de 0 N ee m m e 3; M D MS l AFPA 1. 1.111 2 253 7 1.247

Primary Examiner-Wayne A. Morse, Jr.

Attorneys-E. HD1181 and Steger 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

93/37 R, ABSTRACT: Apparatus is provided for assembling longitu- 3/181 dinal and transverse partition strips to produce cell-type fillers B311? for a carton. Longitudinal. partition strips are advanced in B3lb 11/14, B3ld3/O4 501 Field parallel spaced relationship into position to receive transverse 38 253 4 33 5 partition strips fed from above by the combined action of a knocker bar and driven feed rolls. The knocker bar is employed to advance the individual transverse partition elements [561 CM into the nip of a pair of high-speed feed rolls which drive the UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1884 Jaeger..........................

transverse partition members at a high speed downwardly into assembled relation with the longitudinal partition members.

PARTITION ROLL FEED APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus for assembling longitudinal and transverse partition strips to produce cell-type fillers for a carton. More specifically, this invention provides improved apparatus which utilizes the combination of a knocker bar and driven feed rolls to drive transverse partition members at a high rate of speed downwardly into assembled relationship with longitudinal partition members. Additionally, the apparatus of this invention includes rotary cutters which automatically split the transverse partition members so as to simultaneously produce two filler units.

Carton fillers of the cell type comprise a plurality of parallel longitudinal strips and a number of transverse strips which have mating notches or slots. When assembled these strips form a filler unit which, when placed in a carton, provides article accommodating cells. The longitudinal and transverse strips have typically been assembled by well known automatic mechanical devices. The longitudinal strips ordinarily are arranged in longitudinal guides which overly an endless conveyor, the latter supporting the strips in on-edge position and in end-to-end relationship. The conveyor advances the longitudinal strips in lined groups, or sets, with their slotted or notched edges uppermost to an assembly point where a socalled knocker bar drives the transverse strips downwardly one-at-a-time into interlocking engagement with the longitu dinal strips. This assembly operation is performed at rather high speeds and the downstroke of the knocker bar is so timed with the advance of the longitudinal strips that the longitudinal strips may move continuously thereby contributing to relatively high-production speeds.

Commonly available partition assembling machines which utilize a knocker bar to drive the transverse partitions into the notches on the longitudinal strips have created a number of problems. Since the transv rse partition is driven downwardly by the positive force of the knocker bar, it will completely crush and destroy the longitudinal strips if it misses the slot in the longitudinal strips. uch misalignment usually results in the destruction of the entire cell-type filler being assembled, thereby creating considerable waste of material and time. Additionally, the force of the knocker bar often is so great as to create bruising or slight crushing of the partitions even when they are correctly positioned in the notches in the longitudinal strips. Further, the transverse strips as received by the assembling machine often are slightly curved or warped thereby resulting in misalignment and damage when assembled with the longitudinal strips. Also, such currently available partition assembly machines are adapted to produce only one filler unit at a time. If two units are desired, each filler unit must be split in a separate operation.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a unique partition assembly apparatus which overcomes the disadvantages associated with the currently available assembly machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides unique apparatus for assembling longitudinal and transverse partition strips to produce a celltype filler for a carton. More specifically, this invention provides improved apparatus which utilizes the combination of a knocker bar and driven feed rolls to drive the transverse partition strips at a high rate of speed downwardly into assembled relation with the longitudinal partition members. The knocker bar is employed only to advance the individual transverse partition strips into the nip of the feed rolls, which then drive the transverse partitions downwardly into assembled relation with the longitudinal partition members. The utilization of the feed rolls as the final driving mechanism to advance the transverse partitions into assembled relation with the longitudinal partitions eliminates the aforementioned problems associated with current assembly machines. The high-speed feed rolls accelerate the transverse partitions into engagement with the longitudinal strips and provide improved control over the movement of the transverse partitions to thereby eliminate the crushing and bruising caused by the misalignment and excessive force associated with standard knocker bars. In addition, the use of drive rolls facilitates the straightening of warped and curved partition members prior to their engagement with the slots in the longitudinal strips. Also, the apparatus of this invention incorporates rotary cutters which automatically split the transverse partition members so as to simultaneously produce two filler units.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed description of the invention and the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partition assembly apparatus incorporating the improvements of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an assembly apparatus, indicated generally by the numeral 10, which incorporates the novel features of this invention. The apparatus 10 includes a frame 12 formed by a pair of support columns 14 and a connecting crossbeam 16. A conveyor 18 is provided to pass between columns 14 of the frame 12. A plurality of longitudinal strip guides 20 are positioned above the conveyor 18 and fixed to the frame 12 by a suitable suspension member 21. As can be seen in FIG. 2, a plurality of longitudinal partitions 22; hiviii'g ass of ribtcli's formed therein, are advanced through the guides 20 on the conveyor 18. A plurality of transverse partitions 26, having slots or notches 27 formed therein, are mounted on an inclined table ;28. The inclined table 28 is attached to the frame 12 by suitable means not shown. A

"transverse partition angle plate 30 is positioned to urge the stack of transverse partitions 26 towards the frame 12 under the action of a cable 32 which is connected at its other end to a counterweight (not shown).

A knocker bar mechanism, generally indicated by the numeral 34, includes a frame 36 which'is slidably attached within channels 25 on columns 14 of the frame 12. The knocker bar mechanism 34 includes a flat plate or knocker bar 38 which is attached by means of bolts 40 to a connecting beam 42. The beam 42 is attached to its other end to a connecting rod 44 which in turn, is fixed to a piston (not shown) mounted within an air cylinder 46. As can be seen in both FIGS. 1 and 2, the air cylinder 46 is mounted on the frame portion 36 so that the knocker bar 38 reciprocates relative to the frame 36 and the air cylinder 46. The knocker bar 38 is positioned to reciprocate up and downadjacent to the rear edge of the paper guides 20. The position of the knocker bar 38 is adjustable by means of the threaded rod 35 and wheel 37. The rotation of wheel 37 and threaded rod 35 causes a plate 31 to move on mounting posts 33 thereby raising or lowering knocker bar 38.

A feed roll assembly, generally indicated by the numeral 48, is mounted to the frame 36 directly below the knocker bar assembly 34. The feed roll assembly 48 includes a plurality of driven feed rolls 50 which are mounted on shafts 52 and 54. The rolls 50 may be formed integral with the shafts 52 and 54 or they may be separate rolls mounted on the shafts. Also, the surface of the rolls 50 may be knurled. The shafts 52 and 54 are held for rotation within the columns 14 on the frame 12. The number of rolls 50 on the respective shafts 52 and 54 may vary according to the size of the partition members being assembled. The shafts 52 and 54 are rotated by means of motors 56 and 58 which drive the shafts 52 and 54 by means of belts 60 and 62 and pulleys 64 and 66. The motors 56 and 58 are mounted on bracket 68 on column 14 and may be of any suitable type. However, in actual practice, one-half horsepower, 3,450 rpm. electric motors have been found to be very satisfactory.

A rotary cutter 70 is mounted on each of shafts 52 and 54 and is adapted to slice the transverse partition strips 26 in half as they are driven into engagement with the longitudinal partition strips 22 to thereby automatically produce two filler units simultaneously.

In operation, the longitudinal partitions 22 are advanced with the conveyor 18 and are vertically oriented as they pass through guides 20. Simultaneously, the transverse partitions 26 are urged towards the knocker bar 38 by means of angle plate 30 and counterweight cable 32. The operation of the air cylinder 46 is timed so as to reciprocate the knocker bar 38 to correspond with the slots 24 in the longitudinal partitions 22. The knocker bar 38 then forces one transverse partition 26 at a time in a downward direction towards the feed rolls 50. The transverse partition 26 is then simultaneously split in half by the cutters 70 and accelerated by the feed rolls 50 into engagement with the slots 24 in the longitudinal partitions 22. It should be noted that the spacing of the component parts has been carefully arranged so that the width of the space between the end of the table 28, which holds the transverse partitions 26, and the back edge of the guides 20 is approximately equal to l 1% times the thickness of a transverse partition 26. The control of the width of this space eliminates the possibility that two transverse partitions can be driven downwardly at the same time so that only one transverse partition is driven with each reciprocation of the knocker bar 38. It should also be noted that the slots 27 in the transverse partitions 26 are sized and spaced to mate with the slots 24 on the longitudinal partitions 22.

Thus, this invention provides a unique assembling apparatus which incorporates the unique combination of a knocker bar and feed rolls to drive transverse partitions into engagement with longitudinal partitions thereby forming a cell-type filler unit for cartons.

We claim:

1. In a machine for assembling longitudinal and transverse partition strips to produce cell-type fillers for a carton having a generally horizontal conveyor with an upper surface for supporting and advancing a plurality of longitudinal partition strips having upwardly directed notches therein in on-edge positions in end-to-end relationship and in transversely aligned sets towards ari assembly point and longitudinal guides overlying the upper surface of said conveyor to hold said longitudinal partition strips in said on-edge positions and maintain said longitudinal partition strips on a predetermined path as they are advanced on said conveyor, an improved transverse partition feed mechanism comprising, in combination, means for moving a plurality of transverse partition strips having downwardly directed notches therein in a direction normal to the planes thereof toward the assembly point at a level above the longitudinal partition strips, a reciprocating feed member adapted to operate in registry with the notches in said longitudinal partition strips to force a transverse partition strip downwardly toward said longitudinal partition strips, and rotating drive means positioned below said reciprocating feed member to receive said downwardly forced transverse partition strip and drive it into mating engagement with said longitudinal partition strips.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reciprocating feed member comprises a plate parallel to and slidable in a plane parallel to said transverse partition strips at the assembly point.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rotating drive means comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said improved transverse partition feed mechanism further includes cutting means positioned adjacent said rotating drive means to split each of said transverse partition strips as they are driven into engagement with said longitudinal partition strips thereby forming two filler units simultaneously.

5. Apparatus for assembling longitudinal and transverse partition strips to produce a cell-type filler for a carton comprising, in combination;

means for moving a plurality of longitudinal partition strips having upwardly directed notches therein longitudinally toward an assembly point;

means for moving a plurality of transverse partition strips,

having downwardly directed notches therein in a direction normal to the planes thereof toward the assembly point at a level above the longitudinal partition strips;

reciprocating feed means adapted to operate in registry with the notches in said longitudinal partition strips to force a transverse partition strip downwardly toward said longitudinal partition strips; and

rotating drive means positioned below said reciprocating feed means to receive said downwardly forced transverse partition strip and drive it into mating engagement with said longitudinal strips.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said reciprocating feed member comprises a plate parallel to and slidable in a plane parallel to said transverse partition strips at the assembly point.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said rotating drive means comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including cutting means positioned adjacent said rotating drive means to split each of said transverse partition strips as they are driven into engagement with said longitudinal partition strips thereby forming two filler units simultaneously. 

1. In a machine for assembling longitudinal and transverse partition strips to produce cell-type fillers for a carton having a generally horizontal conveyor with an upper surface for supporting and advancing a plurality of longitudinal partition strips having upwardly directed notches therein in on-edge positions in end-to-end relationship and in transvErsely aligned sets towards an assembly point and longitudinal guides overlying the upper surface of said conveyor to hold said longitudinal partition strips in said on-edge positions and maintain said longitudinal partition strips on a predetermined path as they are advanced on said conveyor, an improved transverse partition feed mechanism comprising, in combination, means for moving a plurality of transverse partition strips having downwardly directed notches therein in a direction normal to the planes thereof toward the assembly point at a level above the longitudinal partition strips, a reciprocating feed member adapted to operate in registry with the notches in said longitudinal partition strips to force a transverse partition strip downwardly toward said longitudinal partition strips, and rotating drive means positioned below said reciprocating feed member to receive said downwardly forced transverse partition strip and drive it into mating engagement with said longitudinal partition strips.
 2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reciprocating feed member comprises a plate parallel to and slidable in a plane parallel to said transverse partition strips at the assembly point.
 3. A machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rotating drive means comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers.
 4. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said improved transverse partition feed mechanism further includes cutting means positioned adjacent said rotating drive means to split each of said transverse partition strips as they are driven into engagement with said longitudinal partition strips thereby forming two filler units simultaneously.
 5. Apparatus for assembling longitudinal and transverse partition strips to produce a cell-type filler for a carton comprising, in combination; means for moving a plurality of longitudinal partition strips having upwardly directed notches therein longitudinally toward an assembly point; means for moving a plurality of transverse partition strips, having downwardly directed notches therein in a direction normal to the planes thereof toward the assembly point at a level above the longitudinal partition strips; reciprocating feed means adapted to operate in registry with the notches in said longitudinal partition strips to force a transverse partition strip downwardly toward said longitudinal partition strips; and rotating drive means positioned below said reciprocating feed means to receive said downwardly forced transverse partition strip and drive it into mating engagement with said longitudinal strips.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said reciprocating feed member comprises a plate parallel to and slidable in a plane parallel to said transverse partition strips at the assembly point.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said rotating drive means comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including cutting means positioned adjacent said rotating drive means to split each of said transverse partition strips as they are driven into engagement with said longitudinal partition strips thereby forming two filler units simultaneously. 